Growth comes with a price for Logan Square

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CHICAGO -- As the economy improves you may notice changes in many of Chicago's neighborhoods. Some of those neighborhoods include Logan Square and Pilsen. Both have had a few years of tremendous growth but that comes with a price. Many of the residents say they feel like they're being pushed out.

Now the fight over development is intensifying. The group “We Are Logan Square” has ignited the community to fight for more affordable housing.

Justine Bayod Espoz says, “The affordable housing that they are offering is quite honestly a joke. It’s a tiny percentage often amount of housing that they want to build.”

Right now, about 10% of development has to include affordable housing. Since 2013, an ordinance has promoted development near CTA lines by easing restrictions as long as some affordable housing is provided.

After studying conditions in Logan Square, Marisa Novara with the Metropolitan Planning Council points to what they found, “Over half of renters in Logan Square are paying more than they can afford.”

We did reach out to the Alderman in that Ward Joe Moreno for a couple of weeks but couldn't catch up with him. Meanwhile, there is another side to this. A developer and home builder association have filed a lawsuit saying the affordable requirements are unconstitutional.